It was always a matter of when, not if. After Afonso Eulálio borrowed the maglia rosa for the better part of two weeks, Team Visma-Lease a Bike decided playtime was over. Stage 14 served up a short, demanding profile culminating on the ascent to Pila, and the Dutch squad used it to suffocate the rest of the peloton.
From the flag drop, Visma parked their train at the front of the bunch, kept the pace high, and neutralized any hope of a breakaway victory. As the reduced General Classification group hit the final climb, Vingegaard’s domestiques upped the pace. Knowing the steepest gradients were waiting near the summit, the 29-year-old Dane launched a acceleration that went unanswered, soloing to the stage victory.
Along with the stage honors, the win strips the overall race lead from Eulálio. Visma’s sports director Marc Reef claimed “nothing has been decided yet,” which is the exact kind of thing you say when you know your rider is about to dominate the third week. Vingegaard is now exactly where he planned to be, and the rest of the podium contenders face the reality of trying to unseat him in the high Alps.
Results
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
